Tag: drones: Page 4

Roadbuilding

Minnesota DOT testing drones for bridge inspections

The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is conducting a study to test using drones for bridge inspections, hoping the technology will help save money and provide an eye in the sky to see how bridges are holding up, KARE 11 reports. Cameras on the drone allow inspectors to see the bridge in real time and detect temperature changes […]

February 15, 2017

Dealers

Cat investment in Airware to accelerate rollout of drone program at dealerships

In a move signaling the heavy equipment manufacturer’s intent to more fully integrate drones and the aerial data they capture into the workflows of construction jobsites and mining operations around the world, Caterpillar has made an investment in Airware, a company that offers end-to-end commercial drone solutions. A joint announcement released by Caterpillar Ventures (the company’s investment […]

February 7, 2017

Roadbuilding

NCDOT looking to integrate drones into emergency response, disaster relief

The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) plans to review ways to implement drones into disaster relief, with its Division of Aviation recently attending a workshop that included interactive demonstrations of drones in such situations. The agency says nearly 50 state and local government agencies and industry researchers attended the program. “Our goal is to […]

February 7, 2017

Technology

Kespry, maker of all-in-one industrial drone platform, names new CEO

Drone maker and aerial intelligence platform Kespry has named tech industry veteran George Mathew as its next chairman and CEO. Last year, Kespry launched Drone 2.0, a complete drone solution aimed at construction and surveying that fully integrates drone hardware and cloud-based image rendering software in order to provide a drone that not only flies itself, but […]

January 13, 2017

Business

Year in Review: The Biggest Construction Equipment News Stories of 2016

While everyone has their sights on ConExpo in March, it might be easy to overlook what a busy year 2016 turned out to be. Here’s an quick overview, plus a timeline, of what happened in the construction equipment industry last year. Bonus: check out our editors’ quick predictions for 2017 on page 30. (Note: In order to meet […]

December 22, 2016

Roadbuilding

Illinois DOT invests in drones to help with assortment of jobs

The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) paid approximately $9,000 for a pair of new drones that it plans to use for an assortment of jobs, the Illinois News Network reports. “It could do (tasks) ranging from surveying work, maybe getting into some 3D imaging, to maybe looking at highway work zones,” IDOT spokesman Brian Williamsen told […]

December 20, 2016

Roadbuilding

Kansas DOT program testing drones for bridge and tower inspections

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has started testing drones for bridge and tower inspections through the new Kansas Unmanned Aerial Systems program. “Our Aviation and Bridge inspection teams are doing great work in testing drones to enhance the safety of KDOT workers and improve cost efficiencies,” says Acting Transportation Secretary Richard Carlson. “We believe […]

November 9, 2016

Technology

DJI one-ups GoPro with the Mavic Pro, an even more compact foldable drone with stout specs

GoPro made a splash recently with the unveiling of its Karma drone. Not only does the Karma fold up for easy transport, it has a beginner-friendly flight system designed not only to assist in operation, but to teach proper flight control techniques as well. And despite the Karma’s relatively low base price of $799, it […]

September 28, 2016

Technology

Airware acquires Caterpillar partner Redbird to offer full drone planning solution for construction, mining

In order to better integrate planning for and analysis of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) flights on construction jobsites, Airware, a San Francisco-based company that develops what it calls a “comprehensive operating system for commercial drones,” has acquired French drone data startup Redbird. If that second name sounds a bit familiar, that’s because Redbird has been […]

September 23, 2016

Technology

GoPro unveils Karma, a foldable, easy-to-fly drone at a great price

Though the company’s cameras have long been at the heart of hobbyist and professional drone setups alike, GoPro today unveiled its highly anticipated entry into the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) market. GoPro’s Karma drone will hit the market just four months after the Federal Aviation Administration’s finalization of commercial drone rules, but years behind competing […]

September 19, 2016

Technology

Drone 2.0: Kespry’s lighter, stronger drone not only flies itself, it renders 3D maps for you

One of the biggest reasons drones and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) went from a hobbyist gadget to an industry expected to generate 100,000 jobs and $82 billion for the U.S. economy over the next 10 years, is their low barrier to entry. With as little as $100 you can grab a UAV from Amazon and start taking […]

September 7, 2016

Roadbuilding

Connecticut DOT using drone for visual inspection on Gold Star Memorial Bridge

The Connecticut Department of Transportation (CTDOT) is planning to use an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for a limited visual inspection of the Gold Star Memorial Bridges August 23. “This is an important step for our agency—the testing of a new technology with the potential to improve results, efficiencies, and safety for the public,” says CTDOT Commissioner […]

August 19, 2016